Blind defense with medium pocket pair

[olavfo]

I've found that aggressively (and successfully) defending the blinds a couple of times will mostly stop steal attempts at 0.50/1, so I'm trying to do this early in a game when I can.

I prefer reraising to calling, since I want it to hurt. I'll typically go as low as any two offsuit cards tens or better, but in this hand I fired a reraise with a medium pocket pair.

Only a couple of orbits played, so no reads but villain hesitated just long enough before raising for me to put him on a steal (I've found this kind of pausing to be a reliable tell).


Paradise Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 8/images/graemlins/club.gif, 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
<font color="#666666">7 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Button caps</font>, Hero calls.

Flop: (8.50 SB) 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif, T/images/graemlins/heart.gif, K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>

Do you think this line is too aggressive? My reason for semi-bluff betting here is that villain will very probably fold if he was on a steal, and if he was not I can safely fold if he raises.

olavfo

[Big Folder]

doesn't that cap worry you? Or do you think villian is just trying to see who has bigger balls pf? /images/graemlins/wink.gif

I like the play pf and now that I think about it you probably have to bet out. If he was on a steal and missed he'll most likely fold, but if you check he will bet out for sure and then you dont know where you stand, even if you c/r to freak him out or something. This seems like the best play for this situation.

[jaxUp]

well-played, although I don't think that you realize how strong 88 is here. It is very good HU against a possible steal.

[Chris Daddy Cool]

chris likes.

[olavfo]

I often see steal-raisers capping in order keep the bluff up, so I'm not all that worried, when I see it.

olavfo

[olavfo]

Short-handed play and HU are the biggest holes in my poker knowledge. But I'm working on it. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

olavfo